Clal Biotechnology Industries Ltd. (TASE: CBI) reported today to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange that Thrombotech, in which it has a 42% stake, began recruiting patients for a phase II clinical trial for its leading product, THR-18.

The clinical trial will examine the effectiveness and safety of the THR-18 treatment for patients who have suffered an ischemic stroke. The trial will be held in seven medical centers in Europe, India and in Israel. Thrombotech believes that recruiting of patients for this stage of trials is expected to be completed within a year.

Thrombotech sources say that the trials will include about 25 patients, who will be split into three groups. The first group will receive medical treatment currently approved for treating ischemic strokes, tPA, and the other two groups will both receive THR-18 (in two different doses) combined with tPA.

Last month, it was reported that CBI, which is traded at a market cap of NIS 2 billion on the TASE, will form a committee to set a policy for distributing dividends. So far, the company has not distributed any dividends.

In afternoon trading on the TASE, CBI's share price was up 3.93% to NIS 1.98.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on July 3, 2011

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